Favor For The Dead
by lwdgrl782
Summary: Gabe Makes a promise to a sick Teddy that if something happens, he will show Charlie the video series when she's older. But when he decided to continue it, the family objects, and a certain ghost becomes his guidance.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I do not own this show!

*Gabe's P.O.V.*

I remember walking into the hospital room the last time I saw Teddy alive. She had been sick for a while, and everybody else had given up, but I had always had hope. Maybe this was because I had only heard about her condition; I was never allowed to see her. This day was different. My parents came home from their regular visit with my older brother, and they asked me if I wanted to see my sister. My answer of course, was yes, but I knew something was wrong. If everything was okay, they wouldn't ask me anything.

I walked into the room, and I was trembling, I knew it. My parents weren't there, they said she wanted to ask me something. I remember those last words. I walked up to her, not knowing what to say, when she broke the silence. 'Gabe, I need a favor'', she whispered harshly. Her voice, it made goosebumps rise on my skin.

'Sure, anything'', I answered. What was I supposed to say?

'That video diary I've been making for Charlie, I need you to give it to her when she's…'' There was a pause, as she thought of what to say. '…Fifteen.''

'Why are you asking me that? You can do that yourself!''

'No, I can't'', she answered. 'Mom and Dada didn't want to tell you, but…The doctors say I don't have time left anymore, I'll''… The rest was understood.

'I'll do it'', I answered, shaken. 'But only if I have to. You'll get through this.'' I was lying to myself, trying to convince us both of something highly unlikely. She smiled, but it wasn't much. Then the door opened, and I was taken out by a nurse.

In the car, my parents brought Teddy up, but I didn't want to talk about it. And when I heard my mom crying that night, I knew I was wrong with her getting through this. But there was something I feared. If my parents thought Charlie would not be able to handle what happened, they would never tell her about my sister, and that could not happen. I would have to keep her legacy alive. I got up from bed and walked into Teddy's room.

There was her camera, used to film everyday's segment. I saw the blank tapes that had nothing on them, and the ones full of footage. I popped one in and the record sign came on. ''Hey Charlie, it's Gabe. Ummm, I'll be taking on the video series now, if you want to know why, ask me. So that's it right now.''

And I knew that I would have to keep the series going. For how long, I didn't know. But I had to keep my sister alive somehow. I turned around and walked out of her room, just as a flash of light ran past me. Too tired to pay much mind, I walked back to my room. Mom never came in to tell me what happened.

How I would do it, I did not know, but I would make sure my little sister never forgot Teddy.

A/N: Next chapter should be up by 5/22


	2. Chapter 2: Odd Light

A/N: Okay, so I was not going to update until the 22nd, but I was going over reviews today [Thanks to the awesome people who reviewed, you guys rock!] And I started getting ideas. So, here's the second chapter.

The next morning I got up early to make the next video segment. Nobody could know what I was doing; they would tell me to leave it be, and not do anything to the video diary. I was on my own right now, with no help, and it would stay that way for while, at least until everyone had calmed down a bit. I, right now, was the least devastated, and I held this title with Charlie because she had no clue what was going on, and maybe because my mission was all I thought about. As for topics to discuss, Teddy must have kept a list somewhere. I had to find it, I had no clue what to tell Charlie about.

Now was the time I started to wish that when Teddy made these segments, I payed attention. Creeping up out of bed, I tiptoed closer to her room. I hoped the sound of boards creeking was not loud enough to wake anybody. My parents' bedroom door was open; they obviously weren't home, because looking down into the living room, I saw no one. The pitch black that had covered the bedroom a night before had now become lighter, and it was possible to see. Who knew when my parents would take stuff out of her room?

Now the tricky part was coming, and I had to find out how you rip a room apart without waking anybody up. Ever so quietly, I walked to the camcorder, which would most likely be where she kept the list. Moving the covers around as quickly as possible, I thought of excuses for being here if I ended up being caught. Finding nothing on her bed, I turned around and moved to the closet, when a flash of light skidded to the corner of the room. With this came a sudden jolt of cold air, which was very odd, being it was late May. From the corner of my eye, I could see one sheet of loose-leaf on her desk.

I walked over and picked it up, but this time forgot to stay quiet, waking somebody up. I grabbed the list just as somebody came up to the the door. 'What are you doing?'' PJ asked, and I could not tell if he was angry or not. 'You're not supposed to be in her room''.

'Under normal circumstances'', I said, turning around. 'But, I'm continuing the video diary for her. So, I needed the list that told me what…'' There was that odd light again.

'And?'' Okay, now I knew he was mad. But I did not care; I was more concerned with that bright light. 'Can you see that''? I asked.

'See what''?

'That light'', I answered, agitated. Obviously, he didn't see it. I clutched the list of topics and followed whatever that was up the stairs. I heard PJ ask where I was going, but didn't listen. It stopped moving once arriving in my parents' bedroom, where I was not allowed to be, but today was completely different…and weird. I was almost going to ask it questions, but realizd that would be stupid.

Then, I watched as it went from a ball of light, to a longer, and more human form. Whatever this was, it had a message to deliver, I knew it. I did not know if this was a good or bad thing, but would soon find out. The dazzling light coming from this thing was blinding, too bright for any pair of eyes. It was too blinding to see what shape this thing was taking. Until, finally, the room became darker.

Opening my eyes, I stood there awestruck, maybe even ready to fall over. Because there was my sister, who I thought was dead, standing before me. When she said hi, her voice rang, only sounding somewhat like her old self. But she was healthy, you could tell. I know you're supposed to be scared, or frightened, or something like that when you see a ghost, but I wasn't. In fact, I was thrilled.


	3. Chapter 3: Explain Yourself

A/N:3rd chapter, thanks again for reviews.

There was silence in the room for a few minutes, as we both thought of what to say; but she was the first to speak. 'You're wondering what I'm doing here,'' she began. 'You want to know why I'm not in some fairy-tale land right now.'' She was serious, solemn, but guessing my exact words. So there _was _no heaven? 'Oh there is'', she went on. 'I just can't go there yet.''

I was lost, and she could tell. There was no use speaking, being she could read my mind. 'I was supposed to'', she began. 'There were a bunch of us in a garden, leading to the most perfect place ever. We were in a line, I did not know why at first, but I knew I had to be there. When I got to the front, there was this big screen, and it worked like a computer scan. If there was some thing wrong, something that kept you from going to that place, you had to finish it off.

On my screen, it said I had to help you and everyone, because you need help with the diary, and you don't know how…how much Mom and Dad will grieve. So, my job right now, is to help everyone.''

'For how long''? I asked, words finally escaping my mouth.

'I don't know'', she said hopelessly. ' After the scan, I was escorted to this hole. They said it would filter me back down to Earth like light, but I should not say who I was until existing as light for a few hours. Waiting to leave, I came across many ghosts who were coming back from their trip. I asked how long they were down on Earth, and some said one week, others said six months, others years. It depends on the job.''

She paused, thinking about what she had said. 'I might be here for a while. They're going to take it hard.'' I knew who she was talking about. But I could get my parents through it. I thought I could.

Then, she went on: 'You're the only one who can see me right now. I have to help everyone in different ways. Right now, you're the one I'm working on. And part of your training is the next video segment. Come on!'' She went back into a ball of light, floating the hallway, with me close behind.

'You enjoy doing that, don't you''? It was obvious she loved turning into that ball of light; a mystery to everyone.

'Yes'', she said, a short, simple reply. Her voice was distorted. 'You do know where Mom and Dad are, right''? I ventured to ask her this. No doubt they were at the hospital, saying one of many good-byes, and if they came home and found me in her room, they'd kill me.

'Gabe,'' she said. 'I know I'm dead. I know where they are. You can't hide that from me, because I've known I was dead for the past twelve hours.''

'You don't have to be'', I continued. ''What if we united your spirit with your body? Then we could…''

'This isn't a movie. Don't you think, that if we could really do that, every single spirit would come down to Earth, and go back to life?'' Before I could answer we arrived by her bedroom door, and the ball of light became my sister again. 'Okay, we have to start this now.'' We walked over to the list of topics and a waiting camera. 'Now, we open the video with something from your life that is related to the subject.''

'Yeah, I have a question. Are you going to appear on this''?

'No. I'm completely invisible to everyone except you, remember? How does this have anything to do with our 'Surviving High School' topic''?

'_That's_ our topic''?

'Yeah, what's wrong with that''? She was clearly annoyed.

'Well, first of all, I'm not even in high school, not for another few years, and even if I was, high school is completely different for girls.''

'I'll tell you what to say, just do it. Tell her…I left you an outline of what to say to the camera, just get it done.''

'Fine.'' I turned on the camera and waited for her to come up with something to say. I had to be going insane.

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	4. Chapter 4: The grieving process

A/N:4th chapter of the HIT [Yes, I hope I have the right to say that] story. Sorry for the minor delay.

'Okay'', she began, realizing I would not say anything. 'We first…'' she looked at my face, noticing the anger I had of being forced to say something I knew nothing about. 'You can't go on camera like that. When Charlie sees this, she has to be happy, and, if she sees you frowning, then, she won't.'

'Well, when a ghost comes and tells you to talk about something you know nothing about, you get that way.'' I checked to make sure this wasn't being recorded. The last thing I needed was my sister to turn this on in fourteen years and see me talking to no one. 'Never mind that. I'll tell you what to say, just record this.'' After thinking for a moment, I hit the 'Record' button on her portable camera. We could not waste time, because I had no idea how long it would take my parents to get home, and if they caught me, I would be in deep trouble.

'Repeat after me'', she started. 'So, Charlie, now that we've covered the basics, we have to talk about something that has caused troubles for me, and most likely will for you. High school's hard, we all know that, but..''

'Okay, you're going way too fast. What was the first sentence?''

'You should say it as I am. She can't hear me, she won't know. Continuing on the entry… And in this time you may get you're heart broken by some jerk of a guy just like my friends di..''

'Rewrite in the script right there! I don't have friends who are girls, my friends are guys and they never got their heart broken by another guy.''

'Okay, you can change that. By the way, you're going to have to edit all of this out.''

'Of course I will. Along with this…'' I took the nearby pillow and slammed it against her. Stupid, a pillow fight with a ghost, but I wanted to hit her so bad with all the 'do it like this' stuff. Ithen got one hit back. What happened next was the feathers flying everywhere, and I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but I soon heard a sharp scream over ours.

'Gabriel Duncan! What did you do?'' In the doorway I saw my mom, no doubt she had been crying, but I wasn't sure if that was the reason for her red face, or the anger. The feathers were all over the room, and I could see why she was so angry. 'Well, I'… I felt a sharp jab in my side. 'Ow!

What was that for''? My mom wore a puzzled expression, wondering what I was talking about. 'You can't tell them about me'', Teddy warned. 'You can't, because when I make myself known to her, she can't know about me beforehand.''

'Just, go to your room'', my mom told me. I did not get yelled at further. I walked down the hall and watched her stand in the doorway, but when I got in my room I heard distant sobs. 'It gets worse'', Teddy mumbled.

That night, while we were eating dinner, she showed up again. There were my parents crying again, and my brother was silent. I think they were disturbed that I did not cry with them.

'Mom'', I said, 'Don't be so sad.''

'How can you not be?'' She snapped. 'Your sister died.''

'I know. But,'' I looked up to find her standing over me. ''I have reason to believe that she's watching us''. This did no help. I just listened for the flood of tears that followed, and like an idiot, I asked Teddy, who by now seemed like a guardian angel: 'Why's she like this? I can't even get two sentences out of her.''

'It's the grieving process, Gabe. This is why I have to be here. To make it better.''

A/N: I think the brother/sister interaction I put in here was adorable, don't you? And I know boys don't usually do pillow fights, but I thought in this situation, it doesn't really matter if you look manly or not.

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	5. Chapter 5: Ghost at a Funeral

A/N:Chapter 5, and I'd like to say this one may be a bit more emotional. So sorry for the long delay, I was distracted.

I woke up two days later not knowing where she had gone. Teddy usually stayed during the night, watching me fall asleep and then going around the house, searching through her room. I only knew this from what she told me, because she did these searches deep in the night, and I was fast asleep. She was back in my room by dawn and would wake me up to do the segment at that time, so my parents were deep in sleep and could not object. This was difficult, because I had to whisper and I wondered if some words could be understood. But today, it was different. I got up, and she was nowhere in the room.

It was the day of her funeral, so maybe that's why she did not want to be seen. A funeral should be time to say good-bye, and if she was with me, I would not know the truth:That she really was gone. So I got ready and was just about to open the bedroom door and enter the hallway so I could walk out of the house and into the car, when she decided to show up. I guess she wanted to sit with us during the service, but I wasn't really sure.

'Where were you''? I asked, not out of irritation, but out of pure curiosity of her whereabouts.

'Oh, I got bored last night, so I went outside. But I lost track of time, and forgot to show up again in the early morning. It doesn't matter. Where are you going?'' Honestly, when I heard this, I was shocked. She didn't know?

'Your funeral'', I answered. 'You don't keep track of human events anymore, do you?'' She didn't have to answer. I knew by now that the human world seemed distant, and she was apart from time. She said no more, but I guessed she would show up sometime in the service.

About half-way through, I noticed a glow near the tombstombs, and I knew who it was. I wanted to see what she was doing, but I seemed wrong to get up in the middle of a funeral.

'Come on'', She whispered. 'Nobody will notice.'' I looked around, not exactly sure this was true, and got up, which, luckily, did not mean I had to pass anybody, because my seat was at the end of the row.

'You know, I think it's rude to show up at your own funeral'', I said jokingly, but I could not tell if she was amused.

'I just want you to know'', she began, 'that this is the first sign of my leaving. Also, I saw your face just sitting there, so I thought it would be good if you stood up.''

'What do you mean''?

'There's three things that have to be done before I leave. The second is helping you with your own grieving process, and then I have to help Mom and Dad, like I said.''

'_My _grieving process? What do you mean?''

'It hasn't hit you that I'm gone yet'', she stated. 'You still think I'm here. And the only reason you think that, is because you still see me every day. But you'll have to face the truth soon.''

'But I know the truth. I know you're…' I couldn't say it.

'See? You can't say it. Your process is going to be different than theirs, but I don't know how yet.''

'Are you required to know? Does that mean there's something wrong with me mentally, or something?''

'No, it's going to come to me sooner or later. I was able to see what our parents were going to do, I should be able to predict yours, it's just taking longer.'' She stared at the mourners on the other side, most of them family, and had this look on her face that I did not understand. Maybe I didn't want to understand it. With her connections to the supernatural and all, she could be seeing when all of them were going to die, for all I knew. 'You should probably go back now.''

I did what she said. I did not want to ask where she was wandering off to. She disappeared, but only to reappear near the end of the whole service.

'This is pointless'', she argued. 'This whole thing is to say good-bye, when they don't knowmy spirit is still here. I will be here for a few weeks, so I'm still here. That's probably what every ghost who checks on their funeral says.'' I thought she was talking to herself now, and I was pretty sure she had contradicted herself. 'Gabe, you should go up and say something.''

I noticed what we were doing now, and I had nothing prepared, but did not want to tell her no.

'Come on. You must have something to say. Say something comforting like: 'She's still with us.' Please?''

'Don't you think I should have wrote a speech''? I tried to worm my way out of this, but it wasn't working.

'You must have something to say. Please?''

'Fine'', I said, wanting to get it over with. I want up to the small platform and took a deep breath before looking out and thinking frantically of something to say.

'Ummm…One time, when I was four, I had a nightmare, and Teddy told me she would never leave me.'' I had never told anyone that, and I planned on never telling, but as I went up there it was the only appropriate way to get to where I wanted this to go. 'And, being here today, many of you must think: 'Well, she obviously did', but, I don't. I think, she is still here. Maybe, she is sitting here, and watching us. I think she tells us what to do, like a guardian angel.''

Now I did not know what to do. I had gotten my message across, and was now just standing akwardly in the front of six rows of people. So I just walked back to my seat, and heard a small applause. 'Thanks, now let's get out of this place.'' I would have said it wasn't over, but suddenly, everyone started getting out. She dragged me away with our parents, but not before writing something on a nearby tree.

'That's a sign for them, a sign to show I'm still here in a way.'' I was dragged away with just enough time to see she had scribbled a stick figure on the very bottom of the tree, with a script 'T' written next to it. I would really miss this when she left.

A/N: Okay, so I know there was a long delay [I started this chapter in June.] But I promise that the next chapter will be up in a week.

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	6. Chapter 6: My 21st Centuary BreakDown

A/N: I apologize to all the loyal fans that waited. Chapter 6, here we come.

After the service I did not see her for the rest of the day. I kept thinking of what she said: That my grieving process would be different than everyone else's. I was starting to understand it. When she wasn't with me all day, I would be upset. Teddy was my guardian, and by the end of the week I became fully dependent on her.

''This isn't good'', she told me on the way to school. ''You're too attached to me…It's not good. When I go on to Mom and Dad, you won't be able to see me anymore, and it's going to hit hard.'' I wasn't looking at her. I knew the words were true. I didn't want to admit that I'd be devastated once she left me.

''Can't you always stay? Why do you have to leave? We all need you here.'' I tried to stay quiet; being no one else on the street could see her. Across the street people stared, confused about who I was speaking to.

''I wish I could'', she said. ''But….up there'', I looked up as she pointed to the sky, ''there's a paradise beyond your wildest imagination. I want that so badly. I love my family, but that paradise, it's the best thing out there.''

At the moment I couldn't help but feel betrayed. Sensing this, she disappeared until 7 o' clock that night.

Later as I was finishing homework she came back into the room.

''Hey'', I said, not looking up. There was something different about her tonight. She wasn't the cheery presence she normally was. Something must have happened, but being she was not human, and it probably involved spirits, I did not try to understand. The sibling bond we had just had this morning seemed destroyed.

''Gabe'', she said. ''We don't have time for fights. I'm running low on time with you and I want to end on a good note. It's already been a week. I can't be here for more than a month, and Mom and Dad need an equal amount of time as you.''

''You don't care'', I retorted. ''You just care about getting to your paradise and leaving us. We don't mean a thing to you anymore.'' Trying to keep my voice low became impossible. I started to shout:

''Go with your little ghost friends! CARE ABOUT THEM, LEAVE YOUR BROTHER ALONE, AND BE NOTHING JUST LIKE THEY ARE! THEY'RE SPIRITS WITH NO PURPOSE! YOU HAVE A PURPOSE! WE NEED YOU! YOU'RE LEAVING ME TO DEAL WITH THE CRAP BECAUSE IT WILL BE TEN TIMES WORSE AFTER YOU LEAVE!''

''I…I'm sorry but that's just how it is.'' If she was human she would have been crying now, but she had lost the ability to cry with death.

'Get out of my room'', I told her, but just as I did my mother entered the room again. She was going to ask what had gotten into me, why I couldn't let them have piece after the past weeks they had been through, but I couldn't take it. I stormed out of the house and ran so they couldn't catch me. I didn't know where I was going, just somewhere that wasn't home. Unconsciously, I walked near the tree Teddy had written her name on. I kicked it hard.

Why was she here? She didn't care for us at all. I sat by it and just did nothing…until she showed up again.

''See, this is what I'm talking about. I can't have this happen in my last days here. I want to show you something''…She reached out her hand to me.

''No'', I said, but her pleading look changed my mind.

''You don't know what that place is look; why I'm so anxious to get back. It's not that I don't care. You just have to see it. I made a friend up there, and she might let us in for a while if we don't get caught.'' And before I knew it we were in midair, going higher and higher until…everything turned a gorgeous white.

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	7. Chapter 7: Paradise

**A/N: Thank you to all my fans who patiently waited. I know I was gone for a long time, but my laptop kept breaking down and I just got comfortable with using it again. Here's chapter 7.**

When the light was less blinding, and I could see, I knew we were not on Earth anymore. The surface I was on was so soft, and I got the feeling we were on a cloud. That may make Heaven sound small, but it was a large, white, soft surface and not a small resting place. Instantly, I searched for my sister. I couldn't find her, and quite honestly this frightened me. I was scared she had been told her work with me was done, and had been taken away.

I knelt down and molded a chair out of the surface of the cloud, and sat down. If she didn't come back, I had no way of getting home. Was I dead? Was I not meant to be here and had died coming? I started searching for a line of people waiting to get into the gate, something like Teddy had described the night she first appeared to me, but didn't see anything. I could swear that hours passed before I heard screaming voices on the next cloud.

"You weren't supposed to bring him here!" I heard a woman yelling, one of about fifty or so, and I just got this feeling she was yelling at Teddy.

"I know, I know the rules state no living person is allowed", my sister apologized, "but I simply had to show him what it was like. He felt I was abandoning the family by being so anxious to return, and how can I help him grieve if he is hostile towards me?" There was no response for a minute or so. I didn't mean to cause such trouble.

"You have a point'', the womansaid, not sounding willing to give in. "I suppose he can stay for a bit. Is this the one who will continue those video segments of yours?" She did not give Teddy time to answer before she appeared in front of me. "Would you like to glimpse paradise?" I looked at her once and honestly I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life.

"Yes", I answered dryly, because I wasn't ready for paradise. I wasn't ready to see something so extraordinary and be taken away from it. Teddy popped up next to her friend at that moment.

"Gabe, this is Samantha. She is a member of the Board of Admissions. She controls who comes here, and when they get to come. When I disappear from you, I always check things with her, to see how far I am from this. She is the only one from the spirit world who can give me any guidance on how to finish my business on Earth."

"Yes, and you are doing well', Samantha said, smiling. "It won't be long now before you come live with us." Teddy smiled, but it was off her face when she remembered how her leaving upset me.

"Unfortunately", she added, "you can't really come here until your time comes, but I will allow you glimpses." At that moment, the most breathtaking images flashed before my eyes. I saw cascading waterfalls and angels, and a grass so green it was a color you only dreamed of. The flowers were all colors of the rainbow, and I saw laughing faces, all kinds of people getting along. For unborn babies there was a nursery where their little spirits were given guidance before birth. People and animals ate and walked together, and even beasts looked gentle.

Everyone was carefree and happy, and the peace was something you will never find in life. The visions continued for a few minutes, and I felt like I saw everything. Then my view just went white, and I was back in my room. She was there.

"Now you see why I have to go back. Get some rest, because tomorrow you are going to help Mom and Dad realize I'm still here."

"They won't listen to me", I responded. I truly believed they wouldn't. How would I get my point across? You can't reason with grieving parents. As if she read my mind, Teddy had a quick response.

"Oh, you're not trying to help them remember me, you're helping them let go."


End file.
